Separate Airplane Sections For Travelers With Kids

Should Airplanes Be Divided Into Kid-Friendly and Child-Free Zones?

You don't have to be a parent to have a bad in-flight experience with a child. While some tots are easily distracted by the seat-back entertainment systems, others spend the duration screaming, crying, and kicking their way to their destination. In today's USA Today cover story, the paper reveals that "59 percent of (British) fliers supported a section reserved for families" or cabins designated for adults. Just last week, 56 percent of SavvySugar readers said that kids shouldn't be allowed to sit in first-class seats. While some airlines cater to families' needs with tot-friendly onboard snacks and in-flight nannies, the trend seems to be moving in favor of more childless travelers. Do you agree with the trend?

The better solution is to make it mandatory for parents to purchase seats for all children, regardless of age. Kids scream less when they are in a car seat then when they are squirming in their parent's arms. Not to mention it's so much safer - people always strap their kids to carseats in cars and airplanes travel so much faster! A sudden stop or turbulence - strap the kid in! They should definitely offer reduced child airfare again though, even if it's only 80 percent. Also, give out pacifiers/lollipops - they reduce ear pressure.

3 years

I disagree with the wording of the options for voting and for the message that they send.
This whole "hot topic" flooding the mom-blogs - "kid-free zones/flights" vs "family friendly zones/flights" - is just plain ridiculous. Segregation is outlawed for a reason. We all agree that racial, religious, and various other types of segregation is just plain wrong, so how can this new kind of segregation on everyone's lips be seen as OK? To separate those with babies and children away from the general populous is sending the absolute wrong message about what it means to be a child or have a family. How much more can we devalue mothers, fathers, and children in society? Even as an option, having a "kid-free flight" or "kid-free first class" is like saying babies and children have no place among adults. They can be seen but not heard. Only a silent baby is a good baby. At what age would a child be allowed to sit with "adults" again? Nursing mothers in particular do not need to feel the extra stress of this type of segregation. Those with families should not feel like they are inconveniencing others with their offspring. Families are beautiful things. Children are gifts. Perhaps making a family friendly zone sounds like a good idea to those parents that are stressed out about offending offending others in close proximity with their kids but it is those parents who need to take control of their worries and realize that everyone was a child as some point and if someone rude crosses their path, so be it, but it is far greater for people to accept families/babies/children in their daily lives than to see them as annoyances. People need to see families/babies/children. They are natural and normal and part of the cycle of life. The fact is that some people are rude in life, regardless of the situation. Being crammed in a small chair with strangers brings out tension even more. People are rude to not just children, babies, parents - they are rude to overweight people, people with an odor, body or perfume, rude to people with animals under their seats, rude to people speaking with accents or in foreign languages or from a country they don't like, rude to homosexuals, to laptop users, to window seaters needing to use the restroom. Rude to the aisle mate that hogs the armrest or uses the middle seat for their newspapers, or rude to someone who mentions a different political opinion than their own, or any opinion for that matter. Rude to loud talkers/nose blowers/coughers/throat clearers....Rude to anyone that offends their particular, delicate sensibilities, anyone outside of their comfort zone. Don't get me wrong, I also think some parents can be rude for not minding their older children on flights but I have so rarely seen this, along with the "dreaded crying baby," on my many, many flights over the years that I think this whole topic is bunk.
Babies are babies. Kids are kids. People are people. Everyone just needs to get over themselves, have a little tolerance and sense of humor, and get along.

Absolutely. The kids are miserable, the other passengers are miserable. It would be great to have separate sections! And it's just my opinion, but maybe a lot of people are seeming intolerant to kids because of so many parents spoiling their kids and wanting to be a friend instead of a parent. Not everyone thinks a screaming 5 year old is just asserting his opinion.

3 years

Yes!!! I have a child and I do stress when I travel with him because I worry that I am bothering others. When I fly alone, I would LOVE to not be around kids.

3 years

No. I think fliers and adults, lately, seem to be growing increasingly intolerant to children (among other things). Sure, when I didn't have kids I thought it was hell to fly near kids but as a parent now, I realize that this isn't an ideal situation for anyone but parents and kids have an infinitely worse time than travelers without kids.